FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ABC Toronto today announced a practical change in the way the city approves projects: a “Default to Yes” that results in homes built and main streets revitalized faster, and people, rather than process, being put first.
City Hall must approve projects that meet what its own rules already allow. Despite years of debate, endless reports, and repeated claims of reform, Toronto’s municipal approvals system still defaults to “no” after months or years of delay. The current City Council has allowed existing permissions to be replaced with case-by-case veto points: fragmented departmental reviews, bespoke interpretations, and Committee of Adjustment hearings even when projects comply with zoning. When every compliant project is treated as an exception, the answer isn’t regulation, it’s paralysis.
How we get to “Default to Yes:”
1. One Application. One Clock. One Accountable Manager. Toronto must move to a single, city-wide digital approvals platform with a named case manager for every application. Reviews must run in parallel, not in sequence, with internal disagreements resolved by the City, not dumped back on applicants.
2. Automate the Rules – Stop Pretending They’re Discretionary. Setbacks, height, lot coverage, parking, and zoning compliance are rule-based checks. They should be automated. Cities, such as Vienna, have demonstrated that automated rule-checking can significantly reduce review times without sacrificing regulatory compliance.
3. Enforce As-of-Right Zoning – Everywhere, in Every Ward. Fourplexes and sixplexes that meet zoning must be approved as-of-right, without delay or discretion. Mixed-use buildings on major streets should be permitted as-of-right, restoring small-scale retail and housing where the city actually needs it. “Missing middle” projects should move through a fast-track approval process measured in weeks, not years.
4. Public Accountability, Not Excuses. Council must publish a public dashboard showing approval times, delays, and completions by ward. If some wards approve housing quickly and others don’t, residents deserve to know why.
The Choice Before Council
A city that defaults to “yes” for compliant projects will build more homes, support local businesses, and restore public trust. A city that continues to default to delay will keep producing reports while the crisis gets worse.
Toronto does not need another study. It needs generational and wholesale change at City Hall to get back to basics and start approving projects that will bring vibrancy back to Toronto’s neighbourhoods.
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For media requests, please get in touch with Kelly Aizicowitz
Email: kaizicowitz@abctoronto.org
Phone: 416-274-1463
About ABC Toronto:
ABC Toronto is a not-for-profit organization of concerned citizens who believe Toronto must become a highly livable city that is the envy of the world.
The City of Toronto is Canada’s economic engine. Our success helps Canada succeed. ABC Toronto advocates for practical solutions to the issues that are holding our city back from its potential, such as congestion, community safety, affordability, and competitiveness.
By working together, we can make Toronto a place where you can afford to raise a family, with new infrastructure, excellent public services, and an honest and transparent government. Learn more: www.abctoronto.org